The victim was an 11 year-old girl from Leland. The Brunswick Beacon does not identify victims of sexual assault. At the time of the rape, which was in 2011, Perez-Valencia was in the United States illegally, Everhart said.

Everhart said Valencia raped the victim on two separate occasions and attempted a third rape on a third occasion.

“The victim became pregnant as a result of intercourse with Perez-Valencia, and DNA results proved that he was the father,” Everhart said.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Lock sentenced Perez-Valencia to 192 to 240 months in prison, which is about 16 to 20 years.

Perez-Valencia will be required to complete sex offender treatment while he is in prison, register as a sex offender and be subject to GPS satellite monitoring for the rest of his natural life.

As a result of his status as an illegal alien, the United States Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) has placed an immigration detainer on Perez-Valencia, which requires his deportation from the United States, but that will occur after he has served his entire active prison sentence in the United States, Everhart said.